The Reason To Hold Hands
by Kawaii Koneko-hime
Summary: After the defeat of Hawkmoth, everything is finally looking up for the superheroes of Paris. They're happy, they're together, and peace is finally on the horizon. That is, until an unusual attack crashes a parade in their honor and makes them question everything they knew. Will Ladybug and Chat Noir be able to handle this new threat? Or will they break apart under the pressure?
1. Reason 1: Because We're Happy

Hi everybody! I'm baaaack! This time with a fic for one of the best shows on television!

*clears throat* If you're a reader of my other fics, let me start out by saying I AM SO SORRY! I know it's been a long, long time since I updated but I promise that they have not been abandoned. I'm just having a hard time with them because my 21 year old self has no idea where my 15 year old self was going with them when she started. I've been rewriting and revamping pretty much all my stories and I have five incomplete chapters of each to prove it. Thank you for your patience and I promise to update soon. Very soon!

So, my lovely readers, this 15 chapter monstrosity popped into my head two days ago and wouldn't let go until the entire plot for all 15 chapters was written out. Expect fast updates because the entire story is already pretty much written. It's just a matter of typing it up, then uploading.

This fic is post-reveal and post-Hawkmoth so there is mention of Hawkmoth's identity. There is also mention of Rena Rouge but not anything major so all spoiler avoiders should be safe. This fic is rated T for dark themes and mild language.

Disclaimer: I don't own Miraculous Ladybug!

RRTAB: Read, review, and Tell A Buddy! Reading is so much better if you do it with a friend!

Alright, on to the story! Enjoy!

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Marinette tapped impatiently on her desk as she tried her best to pay attention to her teacher. She tried to will herself not to listen to the kids of other classes that had already been dismissed or look at the clock again. She failed miserably, stealing another glance at the clock on the wall above the door of the classroom.

3:40 pm.

She inwardly groaned. Why did she have to have Mrs. Mandeliev as her last teacher of the day. Unfortunately, despite what her bright purple hair would suggest, Mrs. Mandeliev was an old-fashioned and strict teacher. She was a firm believer of 'the bell doesn't dismiss you, I do,' and Marinette knew none of the students would be able to leave until she finished explaining Newton's Second Law of Motion.

Marinette glanced down at the row in front of her and chuckled a little. Apparently, she was not the only one in a hurry to go. Her boyfriend, Adrien Agreste, was clearly getting antsy. She watched with entertained eyes as he did a seated interpretation of the 'pee-pee dance' and suddenly, sitting here until the end of time did not seem like such a bad fate.

Of course, Mrs. Mandeliev would choose the moment that Marinette was finally content to dismiss the class. Adrien jumped from his seat, gathering his school supplies and shoving them into his backpack.

Marinette stood. She smiled and bade goodbye to Alya with the promise to call her later. Once Alya left with Nino, Marinette left her seat and stood in front of Adrien's. She laughed lightly. "Someone's certainly in a hurry," she said.

"I'm just really ready to get rid of this thing," Adrien said with a slight blush. He zipped his bag closed and flung it over his shoulder. "The sooner we get it to Master Fu, the better."

Marinette nodded in understanding. Since Hawkmoth's defeat, Adrien was the one that held on to the Butterfly Miraculous. He insisted. Despite it being the bane of his existence, he wanted it nowhere near Marinette. He didn't want Hawkmoth—his father—to have any reason to even look at his girlfriend. She offered him a smile. "Then let's get going."

Marinette took Adrien's hand and led the way out of the classroom and school. She smiled as the spring sun and air hit her face. Since Ladybug and Chat Noir defeated Hawkmoth, everything seemed just a little more pleasant to her. The sun seemed a little brighter. The air seemed a little lighter. Everything was just perfect.

She glanced at Adrien to see the look of strained worry on his face. "Is everything okay?"

Adrien did not respond. He looked away.

Marinette sighed and lifted the hand she held to her lips. She placed a gentle kiss on it. "Things will get better with him, I promise, Adrien."

"I don't even know how to look at him," Adrien muttered. "He's speaking to me even less and he doesn't even know that I'm Chat. We haven't spoken since you and I took this Miraculous away. The worst part is, I don't even feel bad about it."

Marinette was silent for a moment before saying softly, "I think you do. You're clearly bothered by it. The question is: why are you trying to deny it? Because Chat Noir isn't supposed to feel bad about defeating the villain?"

The sudden tenseness in his shoulders and the way he suddenly squeezed her hand gave her answer. He let out a small gasp when he thought he squeezed her hand too hard and loosened his grip. He rubbed circles against her small hand with his thumb.

Marinette smiled at the gesture. That was her kitty—always caring about others even when he was clearly distraught. She stopped and placed a gentle hand on his cheek. "What you're forgetting is that Adrien can worry about his father. You're not a bad person if you do. No one will think any less of you. In fact, I'd love to see you two make up. Who knows? This might be your chance to really bond and become a family again."

It was Adrien's turn to smile. "You're incredible," he whispered. "I'm so glad you finally decided to respond to my _purr_ suits."

Marinette groaned and dropped her hand from his cheek. "You just had to ruin the moment, didn't you?" she asked as she began to walk again.

Adrien laughed as she pulled him along. "Ruined it? If anything, I _purr_ fected it."

"You know, Agreste," Marinette muttered. "It doesn't matter how cute you are, your puns are still awful."

"I think you mean _paw_ ful, My Lady."

Marinette groaned again. "Why did I agree to date you, again?"

"Don't you remember?" Adrien said with a laugh. "You fell victim to my _Chat_ -like charms."

"Hey, let's talk about that parade tomorrow!" Marinette said quickly, in an effort to change the subject.

"No way, _Purr_ incess," Adrien said. "Not until you admit my puns are the cat's meow."

Marinette bit her lip and glanced backward at him. She rolled her eyes when she saw his grinning face looking back at her. "Never," she said, turning her head back around.

"What's the matter, My Lady? Cat's got your tongue? Come on, my Lady, let's _cat_ this show on the road. We haven't _cat_ all day! If you don't say something soon, I might _cat_ the wrong idea. You wouldn't want to hurt my _felines_ , would you?"

Marinette groaned. "Fine, fine," she finally admitted. "I like your stupid puns. Just _please_ make them stop! You're driving me psy _cat_ ic!"

Adrien stopped and looked at her in amazement. "I'm falling in love with you all over again," he said with starry eyes.

Marinette blushed and kept walking, still pulling him along. She sighed with relief when Master Fu's massage parlor started to come into view. It was always dangerous when Adrien said something like that. Statements like that cause the 'cool and collected Marinette' to go into hiding and the 'hurricane Marinette' she used to be around him return in full force. "T-the parade, re-remember?" she stuttered, trying to return to a more mundane topic.

Adrien chuckled. Now that he knew the reason behind it, he loved 'hurricane Marinette's occasional appearances. He leaned close to her and whispered in her ear. "But wouldn't you rather talk about our undying love for each other? How you make me feel? How you make my heart rush and how I wish we could switch seats for a day, just so I can spend time staring at you?"

His efforts did not go to waste. Marinette's entire face went as red as her Ladybug suit and he had to catch her before she tripped twice, only adding to her embarrassment. "I-I'd rather parade about talk," she stammered. "I-I mean, t-talk about the par—parade."

Deciding that she had been tortured enough, Adrien nodded. "Alright then," he said. "Chloe couldn't wait to tell me all about it. She says it starts tomorrow at 1 pm. She says that Ladybug and Chat Noir will be there by noon, just in case I wanted their autographs."

Marinette hummed in slight amusement, her nervousness disappearing. "I hear Chat Noir hates signing autographs."

"I heard that, too," Adrien said. "But I also hear that Ladybug loves signing them. If she's willing to sign, Chat will too. After all, he's wrapped around her little finger."

Marinette laughed as she opened the door to the parlor. "You've got that right," she quipped. "That boy is whipped."

"And he wouldn't have it any other way," Adrien said with a thousand-watt smile, holding the door open for Marinette.

"Thanks, kitty," she smiled as she walked inside. Adrien followed close behind.

Marinette knocked on the door to the back area and waited for Master Fu's permission to open it before entering. "Hello," she said as she stepped inside. She sat down at the table and Master Fu immediately started to pour her some tea.

"Hello, Ladybug," Fu greeted with a smile. His eyes settled on Adrien. "Hello, Chat Noir."

Adrien gave a soft greeting, before rummaging through his bag. He pulled out the Butterfly Miraculous and took a seat next to Marinette. "I believe this belongs to you, Master Fu."

Fu accepted the brooch and Adrien had to bite back a sigh of relief once it finally left his hands. Finally, the long nightmare that was Hawkmoth was over. "Excellent work, Ladybug and Chat Noir," he said as he stood. "I knew I made the right choice in gifting you both with Miraculous. You both are true heroes and you always will be." He opened the secret compartment in the record player and reveal the Miraculous Box. He opened it and placed the Butterfly Miraculous where it belonged.

Marinette smiled. "Thank you, Master Fu. And we're glad that Nooroo is finally getting the long rest he deserves."

Fu nodded. "Now your Miraculous, please," he said with an outstretched hand.

Everyone paused, the room completely silent as the teens digested his words. Marinette tilted her head and exchanged a confused look at Adrien. She looked back at Master Fu and broke the uncomfortable silence with the most intelligent answer she could come up with, "…What?"

"Your Miraculous," Fu repeated. "I'm ready to take them back."

"You've got to be kidding me," Adrien muttered. Marinette winced. To miss that obvious pun, her boyfriend was clearly upset. "You just said you made the right choice. You said we're heroes!"

"And now, your mission is over," Fu said. "There is no threat, so there's no reason for the Miraculous to stay in circulation. It is time for Ladybug and Chat Noir to retire."

Tikki and Plagg came out of their respective resting spots when they heard Fu's words. "Master!" Tikki cried. "Please reconsider!"

"I'm staying with the kid and more importantly, with the cheese!"

Fu sighed. "Both of you know the rules."

"Those rules," Plagg snapped. "Were made hundred of years ago by some superstitious old coots! Putting us back in dormancy when our holders are still ready and willing is like sentencing us to prison. Besides, my kitten's a total mess! He just found out his dad was the Big Bad! He _needs_ me!"

"Plagg…," Master Fu said, rubbing his temple.

"Tikki isn't just some tool or a Kwami to me," Marinette insisted. "She's my friend. I love having her around! I love being Ladybug! There's still so much good we can do in Paris. Why should we retire?"

"Yen and yang," Fu said simply. "You both know it's principles by now." He pointed to Marinette. "Creation, good luck." He pointed to Adrien. "Destruction, bad luck. Two parts of a whole. One cannot exist without the other."

Marinette nodded. "We know. That's why Chat and I are perfect partners."

"It is also why you need to give up your Miraculous," Fu said sternly. "Just as darkness attracts light, light attracts darkness. So long as your light shines brightly, it will draw darkness towards it."

"And we'll take care of it," Adrien said, standing. "Just like we did Hawkmoth. We can handle anything together. Right, Bugaboo?"

Marinette nodded and stood as well. "Exactly," she said with confidence. "We'll always fight as Paris's heroes. So, thanks, Master Fu, but no thanks."

Fu was silent for a moment, then he sighed. "If you regret your decision," he said. "I will be waiting. Good luck to you both."

Marinette and Adrien gave bows and left after exchanging goodbyes. They left the parlor and Marinette took a deep breath. "Did…did we make the right decision here?" she asked. Her mind flashed to Rena Rouge and she felt a tinge of guilt at her hypocrisy. How many times did she take a Miraculous back despite their temporary holders' pleas, only to selfishly keep her own when her turn came around?

Adrien nodded. "Absolutely," he said with certainty. "Paris needs Ladybug and Chat Noir. It would have been irresponsible _to_ give them up. We made a promise to this city to always be there. We can't do that if our Miraculous are collecting dust in some box."

Marinette nodded slowly. Adrien noticed as she looked away with a little uncertainty still in her eyes. He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Hey," he said. She lifted her head and looked at him at the sound of his voice. "Everything is going to be fine—heck, better than fine! Everything is going to be great!"

Marinette smiled softly and nodded. "You're right. Thank you, Adrien," she said. She closed her eyes and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.

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And that's the first chapter! Love it? Hate it? Tell me in a review!

There was a lot of fluff in this chapter. Get ready, because we're boarding the Angst train in chapter two! The next chapter will be up in about two days!

Find me on Miraculous Amino. I'm Kawaii Koneko - hime on there too! I'd love to talk to you!

That's all for now!

~Koneko~


	2. Reason 2: Because It Keeps Me Strong

Hi, everyone! Thanks for reading! Here's the second chapter! I hope you enjoy!

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Reason 2 – Because It Keeps Me Strong

Marinette glanced up from the dress she was working on to look at Tikki flitting around her room. "Could you pass me the seam ripper?" she asked while pinning a piece of fabric on the dress.

Tikki nodded and carefully carried the seam ripper to her chosen. "That dress looks great," she mumbled as Marinette accepted the requested tool and continued working.

"Thanks!" Marinette said, sticking her tongue out a little in concentration. "I know that I'm really pushing it to the last minute, but I think that Alya is really going to like this dress! I think it definitely suits her!"

"But you're going to be late," Tikki reminded her. "Ladybug is supposed to be there at noon, remember?"

"I remember," Marinette replied. "But Marinette can't leave until this dress is done or her best friend will kill her. Besides, Chat knows what's going on. He'll cover for me until I can get there, I'm sure."

Tikki said nothing. Marinette raised an eyebrow. She kept working but still shot her Kwami a look of concern. "But something tells me that this dress and the parade are the last things on your mind. Do you want to tell me what's wrong?"

Tikki sighed. "I just…something feels…wrong. My stomach's doing backflips."

Marinette put her sewing needle down and took Tikki her hands in concern. She tried her best to comfort her while she assessed the situation. "Was it something you ate? I warned you about those cookies Adrien made; now you're sick…"

Tikki shook her head. "No, I don't feel sick," she said. "Just…uneasy. I have a really, really bad feeling in the pit of my stomach."

Marinette opened her mouth to respond but her words died as a light knock echoed from her trapdoor. Tikki quickly flew away to hide as the door flew open. Marinette managed a smile. "Alya! You're here!"

"Yeah," Alya replied as she climbed inside the room. "Your mom let me in!" She spotted the dress on the mannequin beside Marinette and gasped. "Is that it?"

"Huh?" Marinette looked at the dress and nodded. She had to stop thinking about Tikki for a minute and get Alya taken care of. "Oh, yes! This is your parade dress!"

"Oh, it's perfect!" Alya exclaimed. "It's gorgeous, girl! Just watch! Everyone on the LadyBlog is going to wonder where I got it! I can't wait to tell them it's a MDC original!"

Marinette raised an eyebrow. "MDC?"

"Duh, girl," Alya said with a laugh as she started to undress. "MDC: Marinette Dupain-Cheng!" She chuckled and gave Marinette a sly grin. "Or would you prefer MA: Marinette Agreste?"

Alya laughed as Marinette's entire face turned five shades of red in a matter of ten seconds. Marinette quickly turned her head away and focused on putting the finishing touches on the dress. She pulled it off the mannequin. "M-MDC i-is fine."

She helped Alya into the dress and straightened it out. Alya looked in the mirror. "Mari," she breathed happily. "You are a miracle worker. I'm going to be the best dressed one in the parade. Chloe will look on in jealousy! Ladybug will want one too! Oh, I can see it now!"

Marinette laughed, putting away her sewing supplies. "I don't think Ladybug will want one. I've only seen her wear one thing."

"Trust me," Alya assured. "Once she takes one look at this beauty, she's throw away that suit and demand that you design her a new one!"

"I think she'll have better things to do than chase around an amateur designer," Marinette said with a chuckle. "Like answering all those great questions for the LadyBlog."

"I still can't believe the Mayor is letting me ride on the float and give live coverage of the parade!" Alya squealed. "And I can't believe Ladybug picked me of all people to get this exclusive interview! It's a dream come true! This is going to be huge for the LadyBlog!"

Marinette smiled, watching her friend's excitement with entertained eyes. "You deserve it," she noted. "You were there for the very beginning; it's only natural that you're there to see how it all ends."

"Ends?" Alya asked, furrowing her brows. "Do you really think Ladybug and Chat Noir are going to disappear since Hawkmoth is gone?" Marinette opened her mouth to answer but Alya stopped her. "Oh, that's a great question to ask Ladybug!" She went to her discarded pants and pulled out her notebook. She wrote down the question.

Marinette pointed out the pockets she included in the dress design and Alya smiled gratefully. She slipped the paper inside the left pocket, then her phone into the right one. She gave Marinette a hug. "Well, I should get going! The floats should be taking off soon!"

Marinette nodded. "I'll keep your clothes here until after the parade."

"Thanks," Alya said, rushing towards the trapdoor. "And you should get ready too! You're going to watch the parade, right? Please tell me you will!"

"Of course!" Marinette promised. "In person and online on the LadyBlog! I wouldn't miss it for the world!"

Alya smiled again. She waved goodbye, then disappeared to the floor below. Marinette walked over to the trapdoor and shut it close. "Tikki? The coast is clear. We'd better get going too. We're already super late!"

Tikki came out of hiding and the look that she gave Marinette made the designer begin to worry too. "I have a really bad feeling, Marinette…"

"I know," Marinette said with a sigh. "Which is why Ladybug might be even more useful than Marinette. I'll keep an eye out on things, I promise."

"And please be careful…," Tikki begged.

"Of course," Marinette promised. She gave Tikki a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I will, I promise. Let's transform, okay?"

Tikki nodded. "Okay."

"Tikki, Spots On!"

Once transformed, Ladybug jumped out of the skylight of her room and started to city hall.

She landed in front of the floats with five minutes to spare before the parade began. She sighed with relief. She was horrendously late for the meet and greet, but at least she made it on time to still participate in the parade.

Chat signed two more autographs for the group of fans surrounding him before politely excusing himself and making his way over to Ladybug. "Running fashionably late, my Lady?"

Ladybug chuckled and raised an eyebrow behind her mask. "Was that a pun?" she asked in slight amusement.

"Ladybug!" Chloe called as she ran over. She shoved her notebook and pen into the heroine's hands and gave a pouty face. "You're too late to give everyone else an autograph but surely you can spare a minute to sign one for me? Hmmm?"

"Oh! Uh, sure, Chloe," Ladybug said. She looked down at the notebook and frowned. "Chloe, why does this say, 'To my most prestigious fan and total BFF?'"

"I wanted to save you time," Chloe said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Don't worry, I only put down exactly what I _knew_ you wanted to write. All you have to do is sign!"

Ladybug sighed. There wasn't much time to argue. Chloe and the mayor had to get on their float and she and Chat Noir had to get on theirs. She gave her signature and handed the notebook back to Chloe. "Here you go."

Chloe accepted back the notebook and the pen. She squealed and ran back to join her father.

Chat laughed. "That couldn't have been easy," he said, taking her hand and leading her to their float.

"You have no idea," Ladybug muttered as they boarded the float. "Luckily, my _real_ best friend will be here to ride with us at any second." Her eyes scanned the area, looking for any sign of Alya.

Like clockwork, Alya came running around the corner. "I'm here! I'm here!" she yelled. "Don't leave with me!"

Ladybug smiled and lowered her yoyo for Alya to grab. Once Alya had a firm grip on it, Ladybug pulled the yoyo up, lifting Alya onto the float. "We wouldn't dream of it. I'm just happy I'm not the only late one."

Alya laughed—or at least she would have if she wasn't so out of breath. "Sorry… I had to pick…up my dress…"

"And by the looks of it," Chat Noir said with a smile. "It was a dress worth waiting for. It was clearly designed by a genius."

Ladybug blushed under her mask and rolled her eyes. Her boyfriend was such a kiss up.

Alya grinned. "It sure was! My friend designed it! It's a MDC original!"

Ladybug smiled and stepped away from her boyfriend and best friend. As flattering as they were, she had a promise to Tikki to keep. She opened her yoyo and scanned the city for trouble. The yoyo gave a happy chime once the scan was complete and the city proved to be crime free. "I guess that's that," she mumbled to herself as she put the yoyo away. "Tikki must have eaten a bad cookie, after all."

"Is everything okay, LB?" Chat asked, tilting him head in concern.

Ladybug cleared her throat and nodded. "Yes, of course," she said with a smile. She took a seat on the floor of the float as the parade coordinator came around to make sure everyone and everything was ready to go.

Once the coordinator gave the thumbs-up, the floats began to move. "I'm pretty excited," Chat noted. "This is my first time being in a parade."

"Mine too," Ladybug admitted. "It's really cool that the city is doing this for us."

"Of course!" Alya said as she set up her phone to begin livestreaming the event. "You save the city a million times, and you're bound to get a parade! I'm pretty sure it's a law. Okay! We're ready to start the interview whenever you two are ready!"

The heroes stood and smiled. Chat Noir began waving to the crowd as they slowly passed by. Ladybug did the same before turning to Alya. "Ready!"

Alya started the recording. "Hello, peeps!" she said into the camera. "It's your girl, Alya, here at the Celebration Parade! I'm here live with Paris's very own superheroes: Ladybug and Chat Noir!"

"Hi, LadyBloggers!" Ladybug said to the camera.

"Thanks for having us on, Alya," Chat added.

"And thank you for agreeing to this interview," Alya said. "So, first question: It's been two years since your debut here in Paris. Hawkmoth is finally defeated. How do you feel?"

"Good," Ladybug answered easily. Chat Noir nodded his agreement. "Really good. We're both glad that Paris is safe from evil and that we won't have to worry about akumas anymore."

"Will you two be retiring now that the threat is over?"

"No," Chat Noir replied. "We'll still be around as long as Paris will have us. We might not be dealing with super villains anymore, but we'll still keep an eye out for crime."

Alya turned to repeat the happy news that Ladybug and Chat Noir would remain in their place as Paris's protector to her bloggers and the heroes took the time to wave at the happy crowd.

"Okay," Alya said once she was ready to continue. "Next question, Ladybug. Are you and Chat Noir _finally_ a couple?"

Ladybug laughed, knowing the question would eventually come. She gave her friend credit for waiting as long as she did to ask it. "Are you ready for this exclusive, Alya? Chat Noir and I are-!" Her words were cut off by an explosion under their float. The sound travelled half a second faster than the rest of the explosion and Ladybug used that time to grab Alya and wrap her yoyo around the nearest access point that allowed her to launch to the roof. Chat and she with Alya jumped off the platform just as it flipped over violently and caught fire.

The crowd erupted into screams, scrambling and running away from the horrific scene and the potential explosions to follow.

Ladybug let go of Alya once they were safely on the roof. She looked over Alya, then Chat. "Is everyone okay?"

They both nodded. Once she knew that, she gripped her fist and looked down below. "Chat-."

"I know," he said. "I'll get as many as I can out of here."

"And I'll figure out if this was truly an accident," Ladybug said with narrowed eyes.

Chat jumped off the roof and ran to help civilians. Ladybug turned to Alya. "Stay here," she commanded. She jumped as well, looking for clues as to what happened. When she got close to the burning float, there was another explosion and the flaming float disintegrated.

Ladybug frowned. She knew that she did not have particle physics in the bag like a certain cat, but even she knew _that_ was not natural. The fire split down the middle and Ladybug could vaguely make out a silhouette walking lazily towards her through the smoke and flames.

The silhouette became a clear person. The first thing Ladybug noticed was the woman's unusual height. The woman stood easily at seven feet, if not taller. She wore an outfit of a traditional Amazon Warrior, adorn in gold and silver jewelry and intricate designs. If Ladybug was not so sure this woman was responsible for the explosion that shook the city, she would have asked to look at her outfit more closely.

The woman was muscular, and confidence oozed from her with every step she took. She flipped her black hair over her shoulder and her firm features were twisted into a smirk. "Ladybug!" her voice echoed off the buildings. "Chat Noir! I came for a fight! I even put on a light show to get it! Please tell me you won't disappoint!"

Ladybug pulled off her yoyo and began to swing it. She glared at the woman. "You did this?" she demanded. "Then trust me, you don't have to ask for a fight. It's already coming to you!"

She launched her yoyo and wrapped it around the woman. The woman laughed and snatched the yoyo out of Ladybug's hands, eliciting a gasp from the spotted hero. "Then come on," the woman purred, tossing the yoyo aside. "Let's play."

Chat ran to his lady's side and took a fighting stance. "Let's take her down, Bugaboo."

Ladybug nodded, and the duo launched at the woman. The woman fought them both with an entertained look on her face, matching each of their punches and kicks easily. In fact, she wasn't even breaking a sweat—and this was after causing a float to _disintegrate_. Just who was this woman?

Ladybug glanced at her yoyo. It certainly seemed like a good time for a Lucky Charm. Unfortunately, the woman used Ladybug's half-second distraction against her. The woman summoned a sword from thin air and swung it with superhuman strength. It did not hit but the wind it produced was so strong that it sent Ladybug and Chat Noir flying into a wall.

They winced and collapsed to the ground. Their suits protected them from serious harm, but it still didn't feel too good. Ladybug maintained her glare at the woman.

"I am Warn of the Amazons," the woman said. "Allow me to make the silly little villains you're used to look like they belong in a kid's cartoon."

Chat Noir stood up first and growled. "It doesn't matter how strong you think you are. We'll still defeat you!" He rushed at her. Warn narrowed her eyes and stepped aside so he could run past her. As he passed, she grabbed his tail and threw him with a strength that sent him flying over a nearby building.

"Chat!" Ladybug cried. She stood and maintained her glare. "You'll pay dearly for that!" Learning from Chat's mistake, she took a fight pose and waited for Warn to come to her.

Warn chuckled darkly and walked towards her. Ladybug quickly responded, sending kicks and punches with all the strength she could manage.

Warn chuckled again, her cold eyes calculating every move before Ladybug could make them. When she had enough for now, Warn grabbed Ladybug's fist when she came in for another punch. She smirked at the small wave of panic in Ladybug's eyes. Warn swung her sword right into Ladybug's side, sending her into a wall again.

Ladybug grunted and fell to her knees, doubled over from the pain. She was sure if it was not from her suit, that attack would have slice her in half. She glanced at a roof across from them. Warn did not miss the look of relief that momentarily flashed over her face.

Warn turned just in time to see Chat Noir falling towards them, swinging his baton to hit her. She smirked. "Pathetic," she said smoothly, meeting his baton with her sword. She grabbed one of his arms and twisted it until it gave an audible snap. Chat cried out in pain and Warn tossed him aside. He writhed in pain, able to find the strength to get up and fight again.

The brave members of the audience that decided to stay let out a collective gasp. Had this woman broken Chat Noir's arm without even trying?

Warn ignored their presence. She returned her focus to Ladybug. Ladybug, still trying to recover from the last hit, looked at her with gritted teeth as Warn stalked towards her.

In one quick move, Warn grabbed Ladybug by the neck and slammed her in the wall behind her. Ladybug gasped out and clawed at Warn's hand, trying to get free to no avail. "Hello, little bug," she purred. "So, your suit is invulnerable, is that right? Want to hear a secret? I have a little bit of magic that will fix that right up."

To prove her point, Warn whispered words in a language Ladybug could not place and the sword began to glow. Warn smiled sinisterly as she took the sword and sliced into Ladybug's suit and the blade lightly bit into Ladybug's skin.

Ladybug's eyes grew wide in alarm. "W-what is it that you want?" she asked, trying her best to keep her voice calm and even.

Warn leaned close to Ladybug and whispered in her ear. "Isn't it obvious?" she asked. "I want Ladybug and Chat Noir dead."

Ladybug's eyes went wider and her face paled. If this insane woman wanted them dead, she could do it. This entire fight showed that. Ladybug and Chat Noir were no match, even when fighting together. Warn could kill them in seconds.

Warn laughed loudly. "Oh, don't worry," she purred. "I don't want you dead yet. I'm saving that for the grand finale. I want to have fun first, maybe do a little sight-seeing. But…" Her grip on Ladybug's neck tightened. "I want you to remember this fight, little bug. You're only alive because I allow it. If I wanted, today's date would have been on your gravestone."

Warn let go of Ladybug's neck and took a step back. "Enjoy your parade," she smirked. "See you real soon." With that, she disappeared.

Ladybug took a moment to gather her bearing and to bite back the tears that threatened to fall. She ran to Chat and helped him sit up, careful with his arm. "Ladybug…," he said pathetically.

Ladybug sighed and looked at him. "I'm so sorry, Chaton," she whispered.

They silently looked around. The citizens that stayed were left in fearful shock. The parade was obviously ruined. A big section of the block was destroyed. Paris's heroes failed miserably against a villain that fought them singlehandedly. Ladybug looked at the top of the roof where she left Alya. Her heart sank. And to make matters worse, the entire fight had been livestreamed onto the LadyBlog.

Suddenly, Ladybug understood why Tikki had a bad feeling. She had one too.

* * *

And that's the second chapter! Love it? Hate it? Tell me in a review!

Well, I promised angst, didn't I? Wow, Ladybug and Chat Noir certainly have their work cut out for them. I wonder how citizens are going to react... Hmm... I guess we'll find out in the next chapter!

That's all for now!

~Koneko~


	3. Reason 3: I'm Trying to Feel Better

Hello, everybody! It's Koneko with the third chapter! Enjoy!

RRTAB: Read, Review, and Tell A Buddy!

A huge thank you to everyone that reviewed, favorited, and followed the last two chapters! I love you guys!

* * *

Reason Three – Because I'm Trying to Feel Better

Today was going to be a very bad day. Marinette knew it as soon as she woke up on Monday morning. By now, everyone saw the video of Saturday's parade. Especially since the news requested permission of Alya's video and Alya granted it. Since then, that stupid video played on repeat throughout the entire weekend.

Marinette groaned and covered her face with her pillow. "Can't I stay home today? I'm not feeling very well."

Tikki flew out of her bed and looked down at her charge. "If you do that," she reminded her. "Adrien will be at school to deal with it all alone."

"What if we both skip?" Marinette asked.

"You know Adrien won't."

Marinette let out a frustrated sigh and tossed off her pillow. "Curse his nerdiness." She dragged herself out of bed and stretched. She walked to her closet and slowly got dressed, trying to delay the inevitable.

Once she slipped on her shoes, she sighed again. She looked at Tikki with a worried pout. "What if they hate me?" she asked.

"Marinette, no one _knows_ it's you," Tikki reminded her. "Besides, no one is going to hate Ladybug because of one bad fight. Besides, no one was even hurt!"

"Chat was," Marinette countered numbly.

"You know he would never hold that against you," Tikki huffed. "Besides, Adrien is fine. You healed him. His arm is good as new!"

"I let that woman hurt him," Marinette said. "That never should have happened in the first place. And then, I let her get away with threatening us both." Tikki gave Marinette a sympathetic look. She knew nothing she said was going to stop her chosen from blaming herself.

"Marinette!" Sabine called from downstairs. "You're going to be late for school!"

"If only I could be so lucky," Marinette muttered as she picked up her backpack. She swung it over her shoulders, then grabbed her bag. "Let's get this day over with, Tikki." Tikki wordlessly flew into Marinette's bag. Together, they climb down the stairs and went to school.

 _I knew I should have stay in bed today._

As soon as she opened the door to the classroom, Marinette regretted it. If Hawkmoth could see the negative emotions she gave off now, he'd have a field day.

Everyone, save Adrien, Chloe, and Sabrina, gathered around Alya, watching the video on Alya's phone. There was not even enough room for Marinette to take her usual seat. Marinette scowled. Why were they so interested in that stupid video, anyway? Surely, they, like the rest of Paris, had seen it at least twenty times, too. Even actively avoiding it, Marinette managed to see it twelve times.

Marinette rolled her eyes and walked past her table. She took an empty seat on the other side of the classroom and silently looked out the window, waiting for class to begin. She willfully ignored the concerned looks her boyfriend threw at her every so often. She did not deserve his concern.

"Mari!" Alya managed to pull herself away from the attention that she and the LadyBlog was getting long enough to notice that her best friend was not sitting beside her.

Marinette started to turn to answer her but that stupid video still played loudly in the background. It played a loud cracking sound. Marinette winced. Her face went white, and she frantically whipped her head around, looking at Adrien's arm.

Sending another concerned glance just in time to see Marinette's panic, Adrien jumped to his feet and went to her side. He embraced her. To everyone else in the classroom, it would just look like the two of them being their over-affectionate selves. Marinette knew better, though. Despite him being the one that had his arm broken, he was the one trying to comfort her. Marinette closed her eyes. He really was too good for the world. "None of that," he whispered for only her to hear. "I'm fine. We're fine, and you know it."

She let out a breath she did not realize she was holding. "A-Alya," Marinette said softly. "Could you turn off the video? Please?"

Rose nodded her agreement. "You've been playing it on repeat all morning," she complained. "And it's just so horrible…"

"Well, maybe it wouldn't be nearly as horrible," Chloe huffed. "If Ladybug actually did her job instead of let the bad guy get away!"

Marinette winced at Chloe's words. "S-she's right," she mumbled bitterly. "Ladybug completely failed."

"Sure did!" Chloe said with a flip of her hair.

"Ladybug didn't fail!" Adrien snapped. "If it wasn't for her, a lot of people could have died. She saved Alya from that explosion and then healed everyone that was hurt, including Chat Noir. She's a hero!" He looked down at his girlfriend. He repeated for emphasis, "She's a hero."

"Some hero," Chloe scoffed. "That lady had her pinned to a wall. Ladybug looked like she was going to cry."

Did she? Marinette wondered if she looked similar now. Adrien's embrace tightened around her protectively, as if trying to shield her from Chloe's harsh words. If Hawkmoth would have had a field day before, he'd have a block party by now.

"You're speaking very harshly of someone who's saved you personally more time than you can count," Adrien hissed. "I thought you were a fan."

"After this, are you kidding me?" Chloe asked with crossed arms. "We're just lucky that she just had to deal with akumas before and not this lady. Or else, Ladybug and everyone else would have been dead a long time ago."

"Chloe, you—," whatever Adrien was about to say was cut off when the teacher walked into the classroom.

"Everyone in your seats," Mrs. Mendeliev said. "We're already running behind of schedule." The class gave collective groans and mumbles as the pre-class debate came to an almost immediate halt.

Adrien frowned, but let go of Marinette regardless. He placed a quick kiss on her forehead before returning to his seat.

Marinette found herself still tense even after the lesson started. The loud conversations were over, but she still heard Kim snicker and wondered if it was about her. She saw Alya sneakily type on her phone and wondered if she was replying to another commenter that thought Ladybug was a laughing stock. She glanced at Chloe and wondered how a cosplaying super fan could lose faith in her so quickly. It made her sick.

"And so," Mendeliev said. Marinette tried to pay attention to the lesson to the best of her ability. "Newton's law of inertia states that an object in motion will stay in motion until an outside force stops it."

Kim laughed loudly. He raised his hand, "Like how Ladybug stayed in motion after that sword hit her until she hit that wall?!"

Marinette's stomach dropped. And there it was. The straw that broke the camel's back. The tears were coming and there was no stopping them. She just needed to get out of there in time. Her hand shot into the air. "I need to use the bathroom!" she choked out. She did not wait for reply before she rushed out of her seat and out of the classroom.

Adrien watched her go with a pained and worried look.

Marinette burst through the doors of the bathroom. She hurriedly locked herself in a stall just as her tears started to spill over. "I'm a total failure!" she cried, sinking to her knees.

Tikki flew out of her hiding spot. "Stop that," she said softly, trying to offer a little comfort. "You're not, Marinette…"

"I am," Marinette insisted. "Fighting against Warn, I felt weak. I felt useless! Not only did I feel it-everyone could see it, too! I _was_ weak! I _was_ useless! Warn could have killed everyone there on the spot and I wouldn't have been able to do a thing to stop it. I couldn't even protect my own boyfriend! I'm a terrible Ladybug!"

"Stop!" Tikki snapped. Marinette bit back her sobs at the sound of the sternness in Tikki's voice. "How dare you think so poorly of yourself after one bad battle! Do you know how many Ladybugs would have killed for just one bad fight? You're an amazing Ladybug! …Even if you're not acting like it now…"

Marinette's cries turned to sniffles as she tried to wipe her tears away. "Y-you're right, Tikki," she whispered between sniffles. "I'm sorry. I'm acting like a sore loser instead of a superhero. I'm such an idiot…"

"You're not," Tikki said, hugging her charge's cheek. "I get it, trust me, I do. You got knocked down. It's a new experience. But sometimes, you must get knocked down to grow stronger. It sucks but you'll become a better person and a better superhero because of it."

"You're right," Marinette whispered, standing up again. "I got knocked down. But, I'm tired of staying down. I'll defeat Warn next time she shows her ugly face. That's for sure."

Tikki giggled. "That's the spirit!"

Marinette took a deep breath and left the stall. She looked herself in the mirror and winced at what she saw. Her cheeks were red, and her eyes were puffy. She had a dull headache from crying. She still jumped from involuntary sniffles every so often. "I don't think I can go back to class like this," Marinette said what both she and Tikki were thinking.

"Especially since you can't explain why you were crying," Tikki added.

Marinette hummed thoughtfully and leaned on the wall. She'd just wait here until she looked a little more composed. Hopefully no one would miss her too much.

"So," Tikki made conversation. "At least Chloe doesn't want to be your BFF anymore!"

Marinette laughed heartily at that.

The bell rang for lunch before Marinette decided that she waited long enough. She pulled herself into a stand and stretched. She opened her bag for Tikki to fly back inside.

Once Tikki was snugly back in her hiding spot, Marinette walked out of the bathroom and to the courtyard.

"Marinette!" Adrien called to her. He ran over to her and looked her over in concern. To any passerby, Marinette looked normal. To Adrien, she looked like a shell of happy-go-lucky self. "Are you okay? You look horrible."

"Gee, thanks," Marinette quipped drily. Exactly what any girl wanted to hear from her supermodel boyfriend. "You always say the sweetest things, my love."

"You know what I mean," Adrien said, having the decency to blush. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," Marinette replied honestly. She gave a small smile. "Thanks to Tikki and you."

"Good enough to talk about a game plan?" Adrien asked.

Marinette nodded. "Definitely," she said. "What happened on Saturday will not happen again."

Adrien took her hand and guided her to the seat he saved for them. "I'm sure of it," he said. "Warn ambushed us. Now we know she's coming after us."

"And we know what she's capable of," Marinette added. "That sword… She cut my suit, Adrien."

Adrien frowned. "Your suit is invulnerable."

"I thought so too," Marinette said. "She said it was easy to fix and that when her sword started to glow. She used magic."

"A miraculous holder?"

"I don't know. Have you heard of a Miraculous that would give super strength, super speed, and a sword capable of killing other holders?"

"We're talking about magic jewelry and neither of us are drunk or joking," Adrien retorted. "Anything is possible."

Marinette sighed and conceded to that. "Miraculous holder or not, she didn't come to make friends or play games. She wants us dead. The question is, why?"

"Does it matter?" Adrien asked. "Regardless to her reason, I prefer to be not-dead."

"But she doesn't want the Miraculous," Marinette tried to explain. "She specifically wanted us dead. Why? I didn't do anything to her. I assume you haven't either, so why? And if she wants us dead, why is she stalling? This isn't blind rage, Adrien. She's planning something. She's planning something big."

Adrien nodded slowly in understanding. "If we stop whatever she's planning, we stop her."

Marinette nodded. "Exactly. But first, we need to get rid of that sword of hers."

"Sounds like a job for a well-placed Cataclysm."

"But she's too strong and fast to rush it," Marinette continued. "You'd need to sneak up on her. You'd need a distraction. That shouldn't be too hard since she's gunning for me anyway."

"It's risky."

Marinette smirked. "Risky is my middle name."

Adrien grinned. "Perfection is mine."

Marinette tried to hold a straight face. She whimpered, then burst into laughter. "I still can't believe that's actually your middle name! You shouldn't have ever reminded me! I'm never going to be able to look at you without laughing again!"

Adrien rolled his eyes and pulled her close. "It's so good to hear your laugh again," he said softly against her hair.

Marinette blushed. There was still a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. It was so severe, in fact, that it made her lose her appetite completely. But, at least, they had a plan. At least, she could pretend she was not worried. And maybe one day…maybe she would not have to pretend anymore.

* * *

And that's the chapter! Did you love it? Hate it? Tell me in a review!

I already have the next chapter written so expect an update sometimes this week!

~Koneko~


	4. Reason 4: Because We Need to Make Up

Reason 4 – Because We Need to Make Up

The day that Gabriel Agreste was defeated by Ladybug and Chat Noir was the most humiliating day of his life. He lost his secret, his powers, and any chance of ever getting his hands on the Ladybug and Black Cat miraculous. He stayed silent since that day and engrossed himself in his work, even more than usual.

Even on the rare instances, like tonight, where he decided to sit at the dining room table instead of his office, he was too absorbed with his work to even give the chef his order for dinner.

Adrien sighed. He had to watch his girlfriend suffer through pain at school, then come home to watch his father in pain, as well. Albeit, pain he and Ladybug caused, but he still hated to see it, nonetheless. Hurting Gabriel was never his, nor his girlfriend's, intention. They only wanted to keep Paris and the world safe.

Gabriel would never understand that. That was why Chat Noir's identity would have to remain a secret from Gabriel, even with Hawkmoth gone. He could not afford to push his already dangling father over the edge.

What did Mari say regarding his father? It was okay to worry about him, right? It was okay to want to cheer him up and be a family again. Adrien cleared his throat. Gabriel glanced up from the portfolio he was reviewing. "You have something to say?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

Adrien simply smiled softly. "Do you remember," he asked. "When Mom would get into her moods? When she thought the family was drifting apart and was determined to 'get us back on track?'"

Gabriel surprised Adrien by chuckling fondly at the memory of his wife. "She would always come up with the most ridiculous ideas. Skating in the living room, mattress sliding down the stairs…"

Adrien laughed. "She was so horrified when I fell off my mattress!"

Gabriel snorted, another uncharacteristic surprise. "I don't know why she was so surprised. I told her you were too small to control that mattress."

They laughed together at the memory of Adrien's mother frantically checking her son for injury despite both his and Gabriel's insistence that he was fine. "Do you remember the time she made the kitchen staff take off?" Adrien asked. "Because she wanted us to make dinner together?"

"Oh, I remember," Gabriel said with a light sigh and a shake of his head. "We burned the cookies and had to order pizza for dinner that night."

"But she was determined to get it right," Adrien laughed. "So, she gave them the whole week off after that!"

"She was always a stubborn woman," Gabriel said with another shake of his head. "I'm sure if we hadn't thrown together a meal that Saturday, she would have made them take off for a month."

"But that dinner on Saturday was totally worth it," Adrien mused. "It was the best meal of my life. We had so much fun making it, then we ate it all together while taking turns telling funny stories."

"She was a lifeful one, your mother," Gabriel said, love and longing in his eyes. "I miss her."

"Me too," Adrien nodded his agreement.

They fell silent for a moment. Gabriel settled back into his work, the fleeting moment of happiness and reminiscence gone. Adrien glanced down at the empty table, then at his father. "We could do it again," he said quickly.

Gabriel frowned and looked back up from his work. "Pardon?"

"We could make dinner again," Adrien explained. "As a family. Just like we used to."

Gabriel focused on the portfolio again. "Don't be ridiculous, son."

"Come on, father," Adrien pleaded. "When was the last time we cooked a meal all by ourselves?"

"Drop it, Adrien."

"I've noticed you've been down lately," Adrien kept pushing it. "Mom would want us to do something like this. Please, father."

"Adrien, I'm very busy—."

"The company can wait thirty minutes while you prepare a meal with your only son," Adrien said. He looked at his father with sheepish eyes. "Right…?"

Gabriel looked back at his portfolio, then at Adrien again. He sighed. "Tell the chefs to take the rest of the night off," he lightly commanded. "And find something for us to prepare."

Adrien smiled brightly and stood from his seat. "I'll have everything ready in five minutes!" He ran to the kitchen.

By the time, Gabriel joined Adrien in the kitchen, the staff was already gone for the night. Adrien had a cookbook open to a page and was busily digging through the cabinets for bowls. Gabriel peered at the page of the cookbook that his son chose. "Chicken Basquaise? Interesting choice."

Adrien placed a bowl on the counter and nodded with a bright smile. "It's Mom's favorite, that's why. She said it's great comfort food."

Gabriel looked at the page and slowly nodded. "Yes, I suppose she did."

Adrien picked up the book and read over the ingredients. "We'll need onions cut," he said. "I'll handle the meat."

Gabriel nodded and got to work. They worked back to back, with Gabriel cutting the onions on the island of the kitchen, while Adrien worked on the counter.

They worked in pleasant silence until Adrien heard sniffles from behind him. He frowned and stopped cutting the chicken for a moment. "Father? Are you…crying…?"

"D-don't be r-ridiculous, child," Gabriel muttered between sniffles. "It's the stupid onions."

Adrien laughed to himself and the pair fell in silence again. He glanced backwards again. "Father," he said softly. "Can I ask a question? A girl question."

Gabriel groaned. "Didn't I tell Natalie to give you this talk two years ago…?"

"No!" Adrien said quickly, a bright blush covering his face. "No, not that! We definitely had that talk already and I really don't want to hear it again! Please!"

"Oh?' Gabriel asked calmly. He pushed the onions into a bowl and started to work on the peppers. "Then what is it."

Adrien calmed and sighed. "It's Marinette."

"Who?"

"My girlfriend, father," Adrien explained. "You've met her. She's been over almost every week."

"Ah," Gabriel said with a hum. "What about her? Trouble in paradise? Son, the statistics of first loves—."

"There's nothing wrong with our relationship, father. We're very happy and we're going to get married and have three kids and a hamster," Adrien deadpanned. He sighed and kept the next part vague, "Someone's messing with her. A bully… A bully way to powerful for either of us to handle. I want to be there to comfort her and help her, but I don't know how."

Gabriel was silent for a beat before saying, "Be there when she needs you. Be silent when she doesn't."

Adrien frowned. "What does that mean?"

"You'll learn," Gabriel assured. "If this Marinette is the one like you claim, trust me, you'll definitely learn."

Adrien's frown deepened. "O-okay…"

They fell into silence for a third time as they finished cooking.

Adrien looked over the food once it was done. He smiled and looked at his father, who was wearing a smile of his own. "We did a good job!" he beamed.

"Indeed," Gabriel agreed.

Adrien took his seat and gave a small, surprised gasp when his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, about to glance at the message when Gabriel pulled the phone out of his hand. "Hey!" he immediately objected.

"Come now," Gabriel said, turning the phone off. "You pulled me away from my work for this. The least you can do is eat without being distracted by electronics."

"But, Father!" Adrien cried. "That's Marinette!"

"And I'm sure your future wife will understand that you're in the middle of a peaceful dinner with your father," Gabriel said simply. He slipped the phone into his pocket. "You can contact her later."

Adrien sighed but said nothing. He ignored the uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach as the father and son duo ate together.

Marinette was working on a new design at her desk when her phone angrily buzzed beside her. She frowned and picked it up. Tikki flew from her resting place and sat on her charge's shoulder. She read Marinette's phone aloud, "Alert from the LadyBlog."

Marinette nodded slowly, her stomach flipping in dread. She opened the alert. "Warn…," she breathed.

There Warn sat in the video, relaxing leisurely on a park bench while a tornado ripped apart buildings behind her.

"We have to stop her!" Tikki cried.

Marinette nodded her agreement and texted Adrien the situation and the location. Once the text sent successfully, she looked at her kwami. "Tikki, Spots On!"

With a flash of light, Marinette transformed into Ladybug and left her house to fight Warn. She tried her best to ignore the bad feeling in her stomach's vengeful return. She wouldn't let Warn win again.


	5. Reason 5: Because I Feel Alone

This has been ready for a month. I forgot to post it. I'm sorry. Bad Koneko. '_'

Enjoy!

* * *

All in all, it was a pleasant day for Warn. The sun shined brightly in the sky. She found a quaint bakery and a cute ice cream stand that produced the most delicious desserts she had the joy of experiencing in a long time. She leisurely made her way to a bench in the park and forewent the glamour that made her inconspicuous to the human eye.

Very little could make this good day better but Warn could think of one thing that might. A little bit of chaos. She smirked. The eagle shaped pendant on her necklace glowed and she gently twirled one finger. She continued to twirl until the wind began to blow.

The wind was gentle, at first. It picked up, becoming harsher and swirling in a circle until it formed a tornado. Warn sighed happily. "That's better," she purred. She relaxed on the bench as the tornado raged on behind her, destroyed everything in its path.

She glanced at the passersby with cameras, no doubt about to alert their favorite superheroes of her presence. She chuckled. Just when she thought things could not get any more fun.

Like clockwork, the little bug jumped down in front of her. Warn raised an eyebrow. It was obvious that their last fight left an impression on Ladybug. The supposed heroine was shaking in her boots. "Warn," Ladybug growled. Cute. She was trying to be intimidating. "Call off the tornado."

Warn simply smiled. "It's not quite time for you to die yet," she said. "You should leave. Goodbye, now."

Ladybug opened her mouth to respond but immediately shut it. Warn looked on with a mix of curiosity and amusement. It seemed that something behind her got Ladybug's attention.

Warn turned to see exactly what it was. "Ah," she said, watching as the tornado picked up a stroller. "It seems that a child wanted to go for a ride."

Ladybug sprang into action, ran past Warn and pulled at her yoyo. She wrapped her yoyo around a nearby sign and jumped into the tornado. She reached as the tornado lifted her and the stroller. She silently begged until her fingers wrapped around the wheel of the stroller and she was able to pull it to her. She struggled but pulled the baby out of the stroller and held it close. She tugged at her yoyo, about to pulled herself and the baby to safety.

Warn chuckled darkly as she appeared in the middle of the tornado and snatch the baby away from her arms. "Hey now," she purred. "No saving allowed. We can't have people think you're actually doing your job. That's no fun."

The villain sent a hard kick to Ladybug's stomach and sent her flying out of the tornado. Ladybug cried out as she hit the bus that broke her fall so hard that it left a dent. She slid off the bus pathetically and fell to the ground.

Warn chuckled darkly, calling off the tornado and landing safely on the ground. She rocked the crying baby as she walked to where Ladybug landed. She summoned her sword and lazily dragged it across the ground behind as she walked.

Ladybug groaned, but sat up, trying her best not to show weakness.

"It's not time for you to die yet," Warn said, chuckling as her sword glistened in the sunlight. She smirked. "But I have no problem making you bleed." In one swift move, she sent her sword through Ladybug's abdomen, eliciting a pain cry from the heroine.

Ladybug looked at Warn in a mix of shock and pain. She could not help the whimper and little drops of blood that escaped her lips.

"Stay out of the way," Warn hissed. "Or else this is going to be even more fun than I imagined." With that, Warn jumped in the air and disappeared, leaving the baby in midair alone.

Ladybug gasped. She garnered the strength to lift herself to her feet and dive to catch the baby to before it could hit the ground. She quickly turned her body, protecting the baby from the impact of hitting the ground.

She winced, the sharp pain to her injury telling her that she needed to get away quickly. Taking a second to catch her breath, Ladybug pulled herself to her feet and scanned the area.

Once she spotted the baby's horribly scared mother, Ladybug weakly and slowly limped to her. She handed the baby off and limped off, barely hearing the mother's words of thanks. She had to get out of there.

She glanced at the damage but decided against using the Miraculous cure. She was in no way able to keep up the magic in her condition. She just needed to get away.

Chat Noir jumped from roof to roof, following the path of damage for any sign of Ladybug. He jumped from the roof and landed on the street. He almost immediately spotted the little blotches of fresh blood that sprinkled the street.

His heart sank. Someone was hurt in all this mess. All because he decided to eat dinner with his dad instead of reading his messages. He ran, following the trail that the blood left.

His heart sank even farther when that trail led him to Ladybug. "Mari," he whispered in horror. He felt tears sting at the sight of her bloody hands gripping her stomach. He scooped her into his arms and jumped away until they were on a roof, out of sight.

Once she knew the coast was clear, Marinette dropped her transformation. She groaned, keeping pressure on her wound with her hand. Her face was red. Half of it was from pain, the other half from anger. Anger at Warn for causing this mess. Anger at herself for not being strong enough to stop her. A little anger at Chat for missing the entire battle.

"Marinette," Chat said softly, trying to survey her wound. "What happened to you?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Marinette snapped. Her hands shakily opened her purse to give Tikki access to food. "I got my ass handed to me. Again."

Chat's cat ears flattened in shame. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "You know I'd never leave you to fight alone that like on purpose."

Marinette sighed. "I know," she said. "I'm sorry. I'm not mad at you. T-the pain is just making me a little snappy. I'm sorry."

"Marinette," Tikki spoke up. "I've eaten enough to transform again for the cure." She eyed her charge's wound. "That is, if you're able for it."

Marinette nodded. "I am," she assured. "I'm okay. Tikki, spots on." In a flash of pink light, Marinette was gone, and Ladybug returned.

After quickly summoning a Lucky Charm to use, she threw it in the air. "Miraculous Ladybug!" The swarm of ladybugs went into action, fixing all the damage that Warn caused.

Marinette let go on the transformation once more and groaned as she collapsed. Chat rushed to catch her.

"Marinette?"

Marinette did not respond, her eyes closed. A sense of dread sneaking up on him, he gently lifted her shirt to see her stomach. He closed her eyes and lowered his shirt again. "Her wound is still there." He announced to Tikki. "Warn stabbed her with the sword that's immune to miraculous magic."

Tikki stayed silent. What she would have said would have been obvious: they were in serious trouble.

* * *

And that's the chapter! I hope you enjoyed!

That's all for now!

~Koneko~


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